One of the most critically acclaimed country artists of her generation, Ashley Monroe covers one of her idols, Dolly Parton, on the tune - My Tennessee Mountain Home. Both from the mountains of East Tennessee, Ashley is on the road promoting her new album, The Blade. When asked to select one Dolly song to cover, Ashley chose the one about home. "I know the feeling she's talking about when she singing that song — the peacefulness that goes along with being in east Tennessee when you're sitting out on your front porch," Monroe told Rolling Stone.
What is your favorite Ashley Monroe or Dolly Parton song?

August is almost here and Tennessee has some can't-miss festivals. Here's your sneak peek on what's coming up next month. Do you have these 4 festivals on your calendar?

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Chattanooga, East TN, Knoxville
Writer

Linda Lange

Hi!
I’m Linda Lange. As a travel writer living in Knoxville, I fully appreciate barbecue, bluegrass and Dollywood.
My story began in the Tennessee Valley, and I’ve traveled the backroads of East Tennessee for as long as I can remember. Whether I’m rafting the Hiwassee, visiting historic towns or enjoying performances at Knoxville’s historic Tennessee Theatre, I love exploring our beautiful state.
The best part for me is meeting the people and letting them tell their stories. Let’s tell the tale of East Tennessee together.
Describe your perfect Tennessee day.
Most likely my perfect Tennessee day would be in the springtime, when the
dogwood and redbud trees are in bloom, and wildflowers sprinkle the riverbanks
with soft violets and pinks. On these blue-sky days, I like to take my canoe and
drift down the rivers, my favorites being the Clinch, Pigeon, Hiwassee and Caney
Fork. Often, early morning mist cloaks the waterways, and my only companions are
the great blue herons.
Where’s the first place you’d take a friend visiting Tennessee?
Chattanooga squeezes a lot of attractions into its downtown.The Tennessee
Aquarium and the Hunter Museum of American Art are premier attractions for
people of all ages and interests. However, downtown is so much more than historic
landmarks, neon-lit restaurants and the IMAX 3D theater. The Tennessee River
gives people a sense of place. They can bike the winding Tennessee Riverpark, a
greenway stretching for miles, or relax aboard the River Gorge Explorer. They can
wander through Bluff View Arts District or stroll across the Walnut Street
Pedestrian Bridge to Coolidge Park. These little adventures give visitors glimpses
into this wonderfully diverse, walkable and lovable city.
If you could meet one historical Tennessean, who would it be and why?
(This can be someone still living.)
I’d like to spend an afternoon with Dolly Parton and ask her how she comes up
with those great quips like “Keep buyin’ my records. It takes a lot of money to
look this cheap!” She doesn’t take herself too seriously and always seems to know
what’s important in life. Her Imagination Library sends books to almost 700,000
children every month. What a great thing to do! I could learn a lot from her and
I’d sure have a lot of fun just hanging out with her.

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About Tennessee TripTales

Tennessee TripTales takes readers off the beaten path for an authentic Tennessee experience. From East to West and North to South, our TripTales serve as an insiders guide to the sights, sounds and soul of Tennessee.

Whether you're big city, low country or somewhere in between, TripTales will bring you the local lowdown on food, music, shopping, outdoor adventures, family-friendly attractions and more--all in one place, and all from experts who
have been there, done that and told the tale. So, grab your boots and saddle up! We've got a lot of terrain to cover.